Electrostatic discharge is problematic in the manufacturing, assembling, and functioning of parts for various electrical and electronic equipment, particularly semiconductor devices. More specifically, burn damage to the parts produced or assembled may result from the discharge of accumulated electrostatic charges within a room. Further, electrostatic charging of a room may result in adherence of dust to room surfaces. Finally, electrostatic discharge may cause electrical and electronic equipment to malfunction. Thus, the surfaces, i. e., walls, ceilings, and floors, of rooms in which electrical and electronic parts are manufactured and in which electronic equipment is utilized ideally are electroconductive so that any electrostatic charges within the room can be leaked to prevent the charging of the room.
Because electrostatic charges may accumulate on the conductive flooring utilized in such rooms, it is desirable to provide a means for discharging the accumulated charges from the conductive flooring material. Conductive flooring adhesives, which provide electroconductivity between the flooring and a conductor, such as a ground strap or wire, are commonly used for this purpose. Generally, the conductive adhesives are either non-conductive adhesives containing carbon fibers or conductive epoxies.
Utilization of these conventional adhesives is problematic for a variety of reasons. The application of carbon fiber or carbon coated fiber containing conductive adhesives is a labor intensive process because use of these adhesives may require the application of a conductive primer. Additionally, the carbon or carbon coated fibers within the adhesive lose their conductivity over time, possibly due to the cracking or breaking of the fibers. For those adhesives in which conductive epoxies are used, on-site mixing of the components of the epoxy is required which is a labor intensive process.